leaking carbs

[shottothehead]

Took my bike into the shop recently because the carbs were leaking after riding for about a week and a half they started to leak again. The guy rebuilt them again and he told me that my XJ1100 was the last one he would ever work on the carbs for because they have a horrible with there carbs getting screwed up very easily. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this with there XJ1100s and how you kept it from being a repeating problem?

[mro]

It's been just about 10,000 miles ago when I went thru my carbs.

Went on a little ride last week and the next morning when I went to fire it up, it was running pretty ruff. Was looking to see if a plug wire had come loose but found a little gas in the filter box.

Turns out when I did the carbs I used the old fuel line between the in-line filters and carbs and a very small amount of crud worked it's way into the carb. Quick clean and it's been fine since.



Mro
and replaced fuel lines

[shottothehead]

Re: leaking carbs

Right so I just realized that this sentence doesn't make any sense so I fixed it.

because they have a horrible "problem" with there carbs getting screwed up very easily.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Shot,

That ?mechanic? did you a blessing in offering NOT to work on them again. DON'T LET HIM!! Most of these young mechs don't understand these older carbs and just badmouth them out of ignorance!! Like Mike said, putting on inline filters will help provide another level of protection against all of that aging crud that gets built up down in your gastank, and can get past your petcock tower filters, eventually down into your carbs, and can wedge between your float needles and seats and cause a leak!

Also, IF your bike sits around alot during the winter, the gas can varnish and gum, and that can also cause problems. Running some SeaFoam or Techroline can also keep things cleaned out!

There's a chance that when "he" did the carbs, he replaced the valve needles, but may NOT have replaced the rubber O-ring that is under the valve needle seat, which can shrink with age and also cause leaking!

Get a manual, some tools, and get your hands dirty, will save you lots of $$ and you'll get it done right!
T.C.

[shottothehead]

still leaking and I'm stumped

so my bike started leaking gas ...agian. heres the deal I've taken the XJ to the shop twice to get the carbs rebuilt and both times it has started leaking within the next two days. It leaks out of the left carb. right between the carb and the air filter intake. It only does this when the bike is off and it doesn't always do it even then. I always turn the petcocks off, just in case. My next and last step is to check the vaccum valve. After this I don't know what I'll do. If anyone has any suggestions as to what it might be and/or how I could fix it I would appreciate it.

[DiverRay]

#1, Park it on the CENTER STAND.
#2, Go through the carbs YOUSELF, and read the tech tips and threads BEFORE you start.My guess is the float in the carbs are hanging up on the side of the bowls. When you park the bike, sometimes it will hit the side, and NOT be able to shut the gas off. That carb will then drain the fuel lines, even if the fuel is shut off. All you really need to do is pull the carbs, remove the float bowls, and check all 8 floats, to be sure they are ALL the same, 23mm above the carb body to the top of the float, and verify they WILL NOT move side to side enough to bind on the bowl or the body of the carb.
IT will take you about 4 hours the first time, but you will learn the bike. If you start with the left carb, and work your way acress, you'll be an expert before your done.
Ray

[prometheus578]

What the mechanic DIDN'T do"

Hook up a fuel source to the carbs and bench test them for leaks BEFORE you put them back on. If they still leak, pull the bowls, flip them over, turn on the fuel and see where it's coming from. (The weight of the floats will hold the needles shut, they won't leak provided they're not faulty.)
I have seen floats stick to the sides of the carbs, as Diver Ray mentioned. (He's a Guru now, so he finally knows what he's talking about.) HAHAHAHAAHA!

[pggg]

Hey TC, I can't resist this one - see mro's havin' trouble with inline filters. heh-heh Here's my latest theory - particles that pass thru the tankfilters go thru the exhaust , as they're finer than the floatvalve screens. Makes inline filters redundant.